A Bunch of 365s!

026/365: Mumfz! (February 23, 2011)

027/365: Wishin' for Sunshine (February 24, 2011)

FEATHERY FRIDAY!

028/365: Glory in the Morning (February 25, 2011)

029/365: Creepster Gaze! (February 26, 2011)

Why Can't It Be Spring?

025/365: Coventry in Snow (February 22, 2011)

More 365 for You!

FEATHERY FRIDAY!
021/365: RT (February 18, 2011)

022/365: Adam and Sierra (February 19, 2011)

023/365: Mirror and Me (February 20, 2011)

MINIMALIST MONDAY!

024/365: Minimalist Phone Booth (February 21, 2011)

It's Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

So.  There is this awesome blog called The Day Book.  You can see it Here.  It is run by an adorable couple, Sydney and Tyson.  Sydney is fashionable, funny, supremely talented, and unendingly interesting. I want my blog/wardrobe/hair to be like her.  It wouldn't hurt if I could find a guy like Tyson either.  But until then...

Sydney does a blog post every week called Awkward and Awesome Thursday where she lists occurrences during her week that were either awkward or awesome.  She highly encourages other bloggers to do the same.  So, in an effort to emulate one of my favorite blogger-esses, I am starting my own Awkward and Awesome blog post.  Here it goes.

Awkward

• This photo.  This is what happens when I try to take a timed photo of myself.  Also, that dress is bright purple.  Darn camera.
• Both me and my eighty-something-year-old male philosophy professor wearing bright purple ribbed sweaters to class today.  And I sit in the front row.  So his podium is about three inches in front of me.  
• Nearly having a psychotic breakdown because I dropped my earring between my wall and my dresser/bookshelf and couldn't get at it.  In my defense, I am halfway through my last semester in college, so I have a right to be a little stressed out.
• Working really hard on my Irish Lit paper and complaining about it nonstop, only to show up to class, realizing I forgot to bring my paper with me to hand in.
• Having my favorite water bottle leak in my bag, getting my notebook/folders/planner/etc. all wet.  And then emptying out said bad in the middle of the library and having to use one Kleenex to clean up the mess.
• My bangs being waaaaay too long and blowing about in the wind and getting my face and generally being an annoyance.
• Taking funny pictures at the Milwaukee Art Museum alongside the artwork.  And having people stare at you.  Like, okay, I'm making kissy faces at this statue.  So what?  They look at me like I don't know a thing about art.  Excuuuuse me!  I come to MAM all the time.  I appreciate art!  I am educated!  I am a Renaissance woman!  But sometimes I like to be goofy.  Especially with goofy friends around.

Awesome

• Getting those nasty bangs cut tomorrow.
• Getting to wear my wellies today and splashing around in the mud and melting snow.
• It's in the 50's today and it's been nice all week!
• Professors bringing leftover Valentine's Day candy to class.  Sharing is caring.
• Watching Shawn of the Dead with my roommate on Valentine's Day.  (Who needs men?)  Also, being required to watch movies like Shawn of the Dead for homework because I get to write a paper on zombie films.  Doubly awesome.
• Getting to start two exciting novels for class: Wuthering Heights and A Star Called Henry.  I've wanted to read both for a few years, and now they're my assignments.  Too fun.  
• Violin lessons going really well.  I am well on my way to being a Renaissance Woman in the musical field.  Well, maybe not that close, but I did teach myself to play a bit of Good King Wenceslas to the delight of my roommates.  Also, when my teacher and I play together with her on her viola, we sound pretty legit.

Yay!  So there's the first A&A Thursday!  

Adventures in the Culinary Arts

Even though we live with each, my roommates and I rarely see each other.  Because of this, Jocelyn and I decided to make lasagna since we'd both been craving the dish for a while.  To make it a complete meal, we also made salads and homemade rolls.

The rolls turned out to be amazing.  They were so amazing that Jocelyn and I ate them immediately which is why there really isn't a picture of the finished product.  Alas.  You can imagine.

The lasagna was delicious.  We were super hungry and kept peeking into the oven, which probably didn't help the lasagna cook any faster.  And when we did serve up our food we scarfed it down in about three seconds flat.  It was AMAZING!  Oh, man, I haven't had lasagna in forever.  *sigh*  Happiness.

To add to this happiness, right at this very moment my other roommate, Anna, walked in with Kopp's frozen custard.  Jocelyn and I are going to have custard and chopped fresh strawberries.  Can you say yum-my?  We sure do know how to make a good meal.  And it's all fairly healthy.  Strawberries are a fruit!  Custard has dairy!  See: we've got these things sorted out.

Post-Valentine's Day

020/365: Drying Rose (February 17, 2011)

019/365: Child at Heart (February 16, 2011)

RAAAAAAATS!

018/365: Snuggly Little Rats (February 15, 2011)

Minimalist Monday!

017/365: Introvert (February 14, 2011)

Promoting Literacy...Apparently

Sigma Tau Delta, the English and writing honor society at my school, recently had a book sale to raise money to go to the International Convention in Pittsburgh.  However, the work ethic of the members is rather questionable.

Being Lazy Bums on the Job

Being Creepy Creepers on the Job

Being Nerdy and Adorable on the Job

(Slightly More Acceptable than the Others)

Still...despite the shoddy work ethic, we sold a lot of books.  We're that good. 

MAM After Dark: Mr. Wright (A Brief Review)

This past Friday I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum's best event: MAM After Dark.  This month's theme was Mr. Wright, a rather clever title that touched on its two major features: the opening of the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit and Valentine's Day.  I went with these awesome people.              

We listened to Frank Sinatra-style music, ate German food and cookies, drank disgusting liquor, looked at architectural floorplans and designs, made paper valentines, took fun photos, and generally had a good time.  Anna walked into a tire sculpture and injured herself (see above photo).  Alyssa walked into a marble statue and did not injure herself.  Neither one broke anything so none of us was arrested.  Whew.  

Hopefully I will have more pictures of this MAM After Dark and the last one up soon. 

Five Three-Sixty-Fives

012/365: Down by the Wharf: A Sailor (Thief?) and his Wife (Prostitute?) 

(Wednesday, February 9, 2011)

013/365: Before Class (Thursday, February 10, 2011)

014/365: Feather Friday Returns with Glory (Friday, February 11, 2011)

015/365: Night Sky (February 12, 2011)

016/365: Renee's Chicken Marsala and Asparagus (February 13, 2011)

An update on a lack of updates...

Soooo it's been a while since I've updated my 365 project.  Here is why.  I have lovely pictures, but both of my camera batteries died, and I am stranded at home without chargers or replacement batteries.  Alas.  So tomorrow night I will be able to bring to you lots of new stuff.  Here's what you can look forward to:

Five...count 'em five (5) new 365 photos!
A MAM After Dark review
Possible fun book sale photos and story
Possible zombie movie review

So keep checking back!

Book-a-Minute: The Castle of Otranto

A new Book-a-Minute for you guys.  Sorry I'm doing rather obscure works but I'm in some obscure English classes so that's all I'm really reading right now.  So here you go!

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole
Manfred
Let's marry each other's daughters.

Frederic
Okay.

Daughters
Ew.

Servants
Ummmm....did anyone see that giant ghost knight walking around?  No?  No?  Okay, then.

THE END.


Also...365 will be updated tomorrow.  I have my picture (it's a rather amusing one this time) but my camera and cord are in my room with my sleeping roommate and I'd rather not scramble around in the dark trying to find said objects.  So!  Tomorrow: double update.  Exciting, right?

Book-a-Minute: "The Playboy of the Western World"

There's this awesome website called Book-a-Minute where tons of famous novels/plays are summed up into a few snappy lines of dialogue and prose.  They're quite funny and accurate.  Here is an example from their website:

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Edward Cullen
Hoo mama, I can't decided whether to drink your blood or kiss you passionately.

Bella Swan
That's hot.

THE END.

Awesome, right?  A lot of their reviews are longer, but this one is just so short and sweet and to the point (and really, it sums up the novel (and all its sequels) perfectly).  So I've decided to do Book-a-Minute reviews of the books I'm currently reading.  When I finish them, I'll throw up a quick "summary" here.  Enjoy!

"The Playboy of the Western World" by John Synge

Christy

I killed my dad.

Guys

Whoa.  Cool.

Girls

Whoa.  Sexy.

Pegeen

I think I love you.

Christy’s Dad

Actually, I’m alive.

Guys and Girls

Christy’s a liar! 

Pegeen

I think I hate you!

[Christy kills Dad.]

Guys and Girls

Yikes!  Murderer!  Hang him!

Pegeen

I think I hate you even more, you murderer!  Hang him!

Christy’s Dad

Actually, I’m still alive.

Christy

This is ridiculous.  I’m going home.  Come on, Dad.

Pegeen

Wait!  I still love you!

THE END.

011/365: Milwaukee Poster (February 8, 2011)

Cartwheel Success?!

Here is the video I promised of Vinnie and I doing cartwheels.  Well, more like me instructing from the background and him attempting to do cartwheels.  Still, it's very entertaining.  Some of the best moments never got recorded, but that's how these things go.  Hopefully he and I will be making more entertaining vlogs in the future.  If you like this vlog, you should definitely follow Vinnie (aka IfIWoreADinosaur) on Youtube.

Click Here for Awesomeness

Minimalist Monday!

010/365: Minimalist Clock (February 7, 2011)

This close up, I definitely notice now that one of my eyes is wider than the other.  Weird.

009/365: Reading Otronto (February 6, 2011)

The King May Be Dead, but The Decemberists are Very Much Alive and Kicking

I have been fortunate enough to see The Decemberists in concert twice (well, one time it was Colin Meloy solo, but he played a handful of Decemberists songs).  They didn't fail to entertain this third time around.  They played at the Riverside, a beautiful theatre and a must-see for any person who considers themselves a Milwaukeean.  I attended with three friends: Michael, Carissa, and Sarah.  We decided not to face scary Wisconsin February weather, so we only had to stand in line for about fifteen minutes.  We got nice balcony seats with a fantastic view (see pictures below--click to make them larger).

The Decemberists opened with a surprising track: "Leslie Anne Levine" of The Crane Wife album.  I was excited to hear this track, as it isn't usually one they play in concert, at least the ones I've attended.  That got the crowd going, and prepped us for "Don't Carry It All," a catchy, uplifting track off their new CD, The King is Dead.  Throughout the night they did a great job of mixing up newer tracks with their old favorites.    I was thrilled to hear a handful of songs I hadn't heard them play in concert before: the rousing "July, July,"  the beautiful "Crane Wife 3," and the epic "The Bagman's Gambit."  Surprising favorites "A Cautionary Song" and "The Rake's Song" had the crowd screaming at the top of their lungs.

I was rather hesitant about their new CD because it seems a lot "tamer" than their old stuff.  Not such daring tunes, no real epic storytelling.  The Decemberists' usual subjects--prostitutes, historical time periods, leering men, tragic women, rape and murder, and Romeo and Juliet references--were absent.  However, new songs "Down by the Water," "Rox in the Box," and "This is Why We Fight" were fantastic live and revitalized my faith in the new album.

As usual, they drew in the crowd the most with their perfect sing-along "16 Military Wives" which, with its "la-di-da-di-da-di-didi-didi-da" refrain-of-sorts just asks for the audience to join in on the musical fun. During The Hazards of Love "A Short Fazed Hovel" Tour, Meloy started up a competition between the balcony and the floor, with the whole audience shouting those catchy notes over and over and over until Meloy was satisfied with our enthusiasm.  This time the oft-snarky Meloy decided to pick on the box seats, pushing them to sing louder and louder, and then having them drowned out by the larger floor and balcony sections.  Last concert they brought the audience in to sing a round of "Sons and Daughters," a beautiful piece that became even more spectacular when we audience members got to join in.  I was disappointed that they decided not to play that song this time around, but my disappointed was quickly overpowered.  Why?  Because they decided to play "The Mariner's Revenge Song" instead.

It's probably one of the catchiest, most epic songs they've written to date.  Here are the opening lines:

We are two mariners
Our ship's sole survivors
In this belly of a whale
Its ribs are ceiling beams
Its guts are carpeting
Guess we have some time to kill

(Oh, how that last line will be ironic later on.)

I've been waiting for them to play that song for years now, and I about died when Meloy told us he needed our help with a song: we had to scream and pretend we were being swallowed by a whale.  We practiced once, and then one more time when Meloy wasn't satisfied with our screaming.  "Call for your mothers!  Call for your children!  Draw it out!"  We did a pretty awesome job.  I have a great video of the song, but unfortunately Blogger is rather slow and won't upload it.  We'll try later.   Still, The Decemberists got into it as well, falling all over the stage and using dramatic hand gestures.

They ended with the happy and warm "June Hymn" in a double encore, and while I would have taken a third and fourth encore, I was content.  I was a fantastic concert.  Perks of the night were Sara Watkins joining on vocals, fiddle, and electric guitar.  Watkins was originally part of the trio that made up Nickel Creek, still a favorite band of mine.  Meloy also brought up an inside joke from his last visit, once more referring to the Milwaukee River as a canal, telling us we all look Dutch, and remarking that we were all going to ice skate home on the canal to go back to our little Dutch houses.  Too cute.

For anyone who hasn't discovered The Decemberists, now is the time to jump on the bandwagon.  The King is Dead is their most commercial, accessible album to date, so it's a good starting point.  However, you're not a true fan until you're in love with their older, darker, funnier, and rowdier music.  Here are a few good oldies to check out, but pretty much all of their stuff is amazing:

"We Both Go Down Together"
"Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)"
"The Engine Driver"
"Red Right Ankle"
"Summersong"
"The Island: Come & See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Not Feel the Drowning"

Enjoy!

Michael Came to Visit Me!

This is Michael.  Michael and I have been friends for over fifteen years.  He was born in Wisconsin, but grew up in Indiana and now goes to school in Minnesota, so I don't get to see him very often.  However, he was able to come visit me this past weekend!  Yay!

Michael is a total Renaissance man.  He plays trumpet and piano, sings and conducts.  He's quite a good writer, and has fantastic taste in literature and music.  He knows a lot about art, mathematics, science, politics, philosophy, and is full of random facts.  His knowledge base puts me to shame.  To top it off, he's got a great sense of humor: an essential element for any Renaissance man or woman.

I took him to the Milwaukee Art Museum (he was very excited about the wings opening and closing).  This picture was taken there, and I "framed" it in Picnik to go along with the art museum theme.

008/365: Michael and Museum (February 5, 2011)

Feathery Friday!

Due to a lack of computer/internet access this weekend, I am updating for a few days of the 365 project.  I promise, though, that these pictures were taken on their appropriate days.  Also, seeing as I have been having bird pictures on Fridays, I think I'll start having Feathery Friday pics for my 365.

007/365: Tallulah (February 4, 2011)

These People are Awesome

L to R: Clay, Amanda, Me, Elle, Katie

006/365: Car Fun (February 3, 2011)

Snowpocalypse?

Title explains all.  Roomies Jocelyn, Anna, and I woke up to snow higher than our bedroom window.  A ginormous snowdrift had formed along our side of the building, starting by our window and getting progressively higher as it went down, so high that it was halfway to the second floor windows.

What to do with that?  Make a kick-ass tunnel, of course!  We enlisted the help of our neighbor, Anna (now Anna #2) and got to work.  First we had to make our way out the side door and to the snowdrift.  Didn't think it was going to be that hard until we took our first steps outside and sunk up to our waists.  "It's deeper than I thought!" Jocelyn shouted.  Um, yes.  Just a little.  Walking was impossible, so we crawled on our hands and knees to shallower ground.  Once we got to the drift, Anna and Jocelyn dove right in, but weren't very careful about where they were throwing the snow.

The picture does not do their insanity and disregard justice.  Watch the video below.

You can't really tell, but I got hit directly in the face by that giant snow chunk and fell over on the ground.  Those girls were quite rude and laughed for a good five minutes.  Regardless, they put a lot of heart and soul into their job.  Jocelyn really got into it right away.  Anna #2 was very impressed.

Eventually we split up.  Jocelyn and I took opposite ends and started digging towards each other, and we each took an Anna to help us.  We took inspiration from those hard-working folks that build the Continental Railroad.  We felt just like them minus the slave-driving bosses, horrible hours and pay, and grease.  And trains.  Eventually, like those railroad builders, we met in the middle.  It was a momentous occasion.

Awesome, right?  It was a HUGE tunnel.  It would have been huger except I hit a bad spot in the foundation and my entire side of the tunnel came crashing down on me.  It was pretty scary.  For a moment I saw my death approaching.  I thought, dear Lord, how will I dig myself out of this?  But then all the snow stopped falling and my torso was mostly still free.  Still, I was super sad.  Also, that is not me standing behind a pile of snow; I am literally kneeling in that snow.  I had to kneel like that for a few minutes while the others took pictures.  Then, and only then, was I allowed to dig myself out.

Regardless of my little mishap, the tunnel was pretty big.  Here is Jocelyn's side.

After that Jocelyn and Anna decided to brave the ginormous hill of death so they could go sledding.  I decided to stand by and give them moral support.  Anna quickly disappeared behind the snow drift until she was only a disembodied voice narrating her perils.  "My feet are definitely stuck!  I cannot move."  Jocelyn attempted to climb up the drift and go over the other side.  This worked fairly well up until the go-over-the-other-side part.  One second she was there, the next second she was gone and all I saw were her feet sticking up over the top of the pile.  "Grab my foot!  Grab my foot!"  So then I tried climbing up after her to help her up.  About three steps up the side of the snowdrift, my foot got stuck, and in an attempt to pull my boot out, I ended up falling on my butt and doing a backwards somersault down the hill.  How graceful.  

Eventually Jocelyn and Anna met up on the other side and got to the top of the drift so they could sled off.

Success!

By this time we couldn't feel any of our appendages.  Also, snow had soaked through to my underwear.  Not cool.  Time to pop inside for some hot cider and delicious homemade muffins Jocelyn and I made earlier.  Pumpkin flax seed cranberry pecan muffins.  Intense snack food for intense endeavors. 

What a good snow day.

Snow day today.  Happiness.

005/365: Anna and Jocelyn Snowbound (February 2, 2011)

Dream Sketch #1

I have strange dreams.  Well, a lot of people do.  But I tend to remember mine in great detail.  And they're pretty weird.  Still, they make for good stories and poems.  And now art.  Here's a little montage sketch of one of my dreams last night.  I'll let you string the pieces together and try to figure out what was going on.